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Here are the individual event champions.

Level 9:

* FX: Emyre Cole (Go For It) – 14.20
* PH: Marty Strech (Azarian) – 13.55
* SR: Josiah Eng (Swiss) – 14.80
* VT: Fabian DeLuna (WOGA) – 15.65
* PB: JJ Litster (Arete) – 13.90
* HB: Marty Strech (Azarian) – 13.85

Level 10 (14-15):

* FX: Chandler Eggleston (High Point) – 15.15
* PH: Akash Modi (Monmouth) – 14.45
* SR: Marvin Kimble (Swiss) – 14.85
* VT: Lee Grogan (Champions) – 16.15
* PB: Dmitri Belanovski (Swiss) – 14.15
* HB: Danny DiBenedetto (Daggett’s) – 14.05

Level 10 (16-18):

* FX: Trevor Howard (Hocking Valley) – 15.55
* PH: Craig Hernandez (Buffalo Grove) – 15.05
* SR: Michael Wilner (GymSpot) – 15.65
* VT: Trevor Howard (Hocking Valley) – 16.50
* PB: Adrian De Los Angeles (SCATS) – 15.00
* HB: Jesse Glenn (SCATS) – 14.60

link to full results via Stick It Media

more results and commentary on USAG – 2011 U.S. Men’s Junior Olympic National Championships wrap up with individual event finals

Football in the USA is plenty dangerous for the brain.

One of the best things about gymnastics is that we have comparatively few concussions, as compared with combative and team sports. (Don’t even mention Mixed Martial Arts.)

… But after watching a PBS TV show called Frontline – Football High (VIDEO), I’m not so sure.

A study by Professor Tom Talavage, an expert in functional neuroimaging and co-director of Purdue University’s MRI facility, alarmed me – Functionally-Detected Cognitive Impairment in High School Football Players Without Clinically- Diagnosed Concussion (PDF).

Talavage detected (possible) brain damage in 50% of High School football players who reported no concussion. They had plenty of “hits”, of course, but reportedly no concussion.

In gymnastics we suffer sub-concussive “hits”. Vault ‘timers’, for example. Could these be causing damage?

… My non-scientific opinion is that Artistic gymnastics training is safe for the brain. We have fantastic matting and pits. We spend more on protective equipment than any other sport.

I don’t want this post to come off alarmist. There’s too much of that already online. For example, Gymnastics is often compared with Football in injury studies. Yet in 2010 there were 16 football deaths in the USA, zero gymnastics deaths. (That number 16 comes from the Talavage study, too. Five direct deaths on field of play, eleven indirect deaths.)

I’d rather have my child doing gymnastics than playing Football.

No expert myself, I’d love to hear your comments if you know more on the topic of concussion in acrobatic sports.

Olympic great Mary Lou Retton was suffering along with all the other parents at Level 9 Eastern Championships:

… Retton wasn’t here with USA Gymnastics, coaching, or speaking on behalf of any organization. The 43-year-old mother of four was on hand to support her 14-year-old daughter, McKenna Kelley, as she took on some of the country’s best 13- and 14-year-olds in the Junior 5 Division.

“Sitting in the stands is so much harder than actually being out there on the floor,’’ said Retton. “My daughter had started out strong and had two weaker events and she’s sitting over there crying. It just breaks your heart as a parent.’’ …

read more – Ex-gymnast Retton in good position to support daughters

All of the kids compete either gymnastics or cheer.

Stick It Media:

Long Beach – It came down to parallel bars and rings for Adrian De Los Angeles and Jake Martin, respectively.

De Los Angeles had a scant lead of .35 points going into the final rotation. With both events being very strong for both gymnasts, ….

Martin went first and posted a respectable 14.60 on rings. De Los Angeles then proceeded with a clutch performance on one of his better events. His 15.05 was not only the highest score on that event, but it was more than enough to clinch the Senior Level 10 AA title.

On top of that, his 88.80 was the weekend’s highest AA score and a career high. …

What was lost on most of those in attendance is the fact that De Los Angeles (SCATS) won the title in his home town of Long Beach.

… it’s a sad state of affairs that not one major local media outlet was in attendance to cover this remarkable achievement, when they cover other young local athletes in other sports who have achieved not nearly as much. …

read more – Long Beach Gymnast Wins JO Nationals Title in His Home Town

USAG covered the story. Greg on College Gym Fans linked. But I don’t see any mention of it in Google News the morning after.

A guy named Los Angeles wins Nationals in L.A. … and still can’t get any media coverage. (How are the Lakers doing, by the way?)

Men’s Gymnastics has many of the best stories never told. Some day the guys will get the recognition they deserve. But that day has not yet arrived.

Again CONGRATULATIONS to Region 1 and the hosts in Long Beach. You should be very proud of this competition.

official meet photographer – Champion Images

official meet videographer – MrVideoOnline.com

All routines were videotaped. Prices for the DVDs are very reasonable.

“Chinese Nationals” begin.

Gymnastics Examiner links to podium training highlights – Video tidbits before Chinese Nationals

2008 Olympic Pommel champion Xiao Qin is competing.

Another highlight is Li Yiting who is showing Rudi and Tsukahara with 2 twists.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

China needs vaulters. The chance for apparatus finals may help Li Yiting make teams. But she is sloppy. And is yet another gymnast doing nearly the same vault, calling it as coming from 2 different families. I feel judges should be very strict on hand position if they are going to allow those.

There are more videos on the Komova2012 YouTube channel.

Gymnastike has a page highlighting some of the top gymnasts at both meets. And linking to full results: Level 9 Eastern and Western National Championships Results

Shout out to Southeastern Gym who already has 3 Eastern Champions: Grace Glenn 38.225, Megan McClelland 37.650 and Kensleigh Owens 37.500. Luidmila Shobe is Southeastern Head Coach.

I’m at the Western Championships, somewhat underwhelmed at the quality of gymnastics I’ve seen, so far. Competition continues today.

One feature I really like at Westerns is how judging scores are being displayed. BIG and with each judge included. Now that’s transparency.

Based on results of both of these meets, gymnasts will be invited to a training camp at Karolyi Ranch.

UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre explains why he integrates gymnastics into his strength & conditioning regimen.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Filmed at the UFC 129 press conference April 27, 2011, Toronto.

Thanks Michael in Scotland for the link.

All advanced male gymnasts wear grips. Almost all advanced female gymnasts do, as well.

It can be troublesome, even traumatic the first day putting them on.

Gymnasts Anastasia Karpova and Kristina Kruglikova (Russia) and Moldir Azimbay (Kazakhstan) test out their first pairs of grips while training for the Nadia Comaneci International Invitational in Oklahoma City. …

Click PLAY or watch them on YouTube.

My strategy is to go slow. Finish the normal workout bare handed, and then take a few turns at the end in grips.

Introduce hand guards in the off-season.

The best documentation on this topic I’ve seen was written by John Howard, the prolific editor of Gymnastics Zone.

His Complete Guide to Using, Buying and Caring for Gymnastics Grips is just one of the dozens of topics he’s covered. Much of that content is free, but the best is summarized in his eBooks available at cost.

related – How To Order the Correct Size Gymnastics Grips. Order from AmGym.com if you want very detailed help in sizing.

Leave a comment if you have additional tips.

(via Couch Gymnast)

Stick It Media:

Marty Strech (Azarian) needed a 12.30 on pommel horse to at least tie Tristan Burke (WOGA) for the lead going into Saturday’s Level 9 all-around finals. Pommel horse is one of Strech’s best events, so that minimum score didn’t seem to be such a tall order. Well, Strech made it interesting after an atypical fall midway through his routine. Still, he had enough difficulty built in to his routine to easily absorb the one-point deduction, and ended up with a 12.60 to top Burke by 3 tenths (83.30-83.00). …

read more – Strech and Burke are Top Level 9 Qualifiers at Men’s JO Nationals

Top 10 Qualifiers:
Marty Strech (Azarian) – 83.30
Tristan Burke (WOGA) – 83.00
Fabian Deluna (WOGA) – 81.80
Davis Grooms (Champions) – 81.55
Alex Diab (Premier) – 81.50
David Jessen (Rise) – 81.05
Johnny Jacobson (USA GymWorld) – 80.65
Marcos Gatinho (Universal) – 80.10
Alex Yoder (Indy School) – 79.45
Grant Breckenridge (Buffalo Grove) – 79.40

Stick It Media is Ron Noe, an indefatigable enthusiast of Men’s Gymnastics who happens to live in Long Beach. Ron got into our sport when his son took it up. And has been a booster ever since.

I finally got to meet Ron in person, after years of following his work online.

I’m headed today to the Western Championships at the Town and Country Resort and Convention Center in San Diego, Calif.

Whoop.

details on USAG – Junior Olympic Level 9 Eastern/Western Championships begin May 6